The Gate-Lodge at Levally House

The Gate-Lodge at Levally House is the old gatekeeper's cottage on a country estate a few miles outside Enniskillen, and the welcome for dogs is one of the warmest things about it. Owners who bring a dog say the hosts are genuinely helpful about it rather than merely tolerant, which is not something every rural let manages. The setting helps: fields, birdsong, an open fire with wood put out for guests, and Lower Lough Erne close enough for a proper morning walk by the water.

Inside, it is a small, characterful cottage that has been lived in rather than styled. Guests describe it as cosy and quiet, with comfortable beds, wifi that works and parking right outside the door. Enniskillen is a short drive for supplies and eating out, and the lough shore and surrounding lanes give you more walking than a week will use up.

The one thing to weigh carefully is the outside space. Dog owners raise it repeatedly and consistently: there is very little of it, and what there is has no secure boundary, while the road immediately outside the property carries traffic at speed. That combination means a dog cannot simply be let out for five minutes, and anyone who relies on a safe garden for toilet breaks will find this frustrating. Guests who have managed it well treat the cottage as a lead-and-walk base rather than a run-around one.

Elsewhere the cottage shows its age. Guests have reported fittings that need attention, an inconsistent shower and appliances that do not always work, and there is little local information left in the property, so ask for directions and recommendations in advance - satnavs do not always find the address. It earns 4.1 out of 5 for pets: a good, welcoming base for a lead-trained dog exploring Fermanagh, but not the right choice if you need an enclosed garden.